This interview addresses the technical paper, A long-term, multitrophic level study to assess effects of pulp and paper mill effluent discharges on aquatic communities in four US receiving waters: lessons learned, published in Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management, Vol 5, No. 2, 2009. The NCASI long-term receiving water study is not only providing information on effects of pulp and paper mill effluents on algae, macroinvertebrates, fish, relative risk, and margin of safety in four US rivers receiving representative mill effluent discharges, but it is a landmark study in terms of subject, design, execution, focus, and duration. In addition to lessons learned about effects of effluents, lessons learned with respect to design and conduct of long-term watershed scale studies should be useful to others contemplating similar research. One of the co-authors of the paper, Dr. John Rodgers of Clemson University, is interviewed.